Cheltenham Festival tips: How To Bet £20 on day two

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Bachman-Turner Overdrive releasing You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet and it may well prove an appropriate anthem for Willie Mullins before the action starts at on Wednesday as he rocks his way through to half-time at the Festival.

Mullins dominated day one of the meeting and day two could get even better with Ballyburn, Fact To File and El Fabiolo all short-priced favourites to keep him on a roll in the day’s first three Grade One contests.

The trio all have star quality and each impressed when winning at the Dublin Racing Festival last month. I can’t see any of them being beaten – I’ve given up on the theory that El Fabiolo’s habit of nudging the odd fence is going to cost him because he always seems to find a leg - and don’t like playing each-way unless I think there’s at least half a chance of collecting on the win part of the bet.

They make life tricky for punting purposes, although I imagine the layers will probably dangle carrot at some stage on Wednesday by offering inflated odds on the trio all winning – reasoning that one will underperform or be upstaged. At present odds, the treble is about 3/1, so keep an eye out for 7/2 or bigger.

Naturally, though, it’s the big handicaps on the card that will go a long way to making or breaking the day for many punters.

The Coral Cup never gets an easier to solve but Might I, a general 16/1 chance, looks to have plenty going for him.

The Harry Fry-trained eight-year-od ran a cracker at the meeting last year when a close fourth in the Martin Pipe and has somehow got in off a 3lb lower mark despite having not run over hurdles, at least in Britain, in the meantime.

And like four of the past five Coral Cup winners, he’s also got some headgear on (wasn't equipped with cheekpieces last year).

His chasing career has been aborted, at least for the time being, after three runs over the larger obstacles in which he looked anything but a natural.

There’s nothing to suggest he’s not the horse that he was and a three-month break should ensure he’s been freshened up for his return to the smaller obstacles. He clearly has a soft spot for Cheltenham, having also run well here in another competitive handicap at the start of last year.

The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase is wide open but I’m keen on Path D’Oroux, trained by Gavin Cromwell.

This seven-year-old is a maiden after seven starts over fences but he is definitely getting his act together, chasing home Hunters Yarn at Fairyhouse in January before beating all bar Madara in a competitive 2m handicap at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival.

He might well have won at Leopardstown had he jumped cleaner, with the RaceiQ data telling us he lost four lengths in the air, whereas Madara gained five. That made for a nine-length swing and he was beaten under three.

Path D’Oroux is going to have to keep mistakes to a minimum but he meets the likeable winner on 6lb better terms and Cromwell, 7/19 with his runners at Cheltenham this season, will no doubt have been working on his technique. First-time cheekpieces could also help sharpen him up.

A cracking renewal of the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase can go to the Gordon Elliott-trained Delta Work, provided the track passes a morning inspection.

He’s seeking to become the first horse to win this contest three years in succession and the fact that Jack Kennedy rides him in preference to his stablemates, Coko Beach and Galvin, is a tip in itself.

Delta Work wasn’t at his best in the first half of the season but his run in the Boyne Hurdle last time out was a bit more like it – with his performance in it similar to how he ran in the race 12 months ago before landing this.

The saturated ground will be no issue for him – he outmuscled Tiger Roll on heavy going two years ago – and first-time blinkers may well add an edge (he’s worn cheekpieces in recent starts).

Finally, it’s another Elliott runner, The Yellow Clay, who gets my vore in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

He won both his bumper races last spring and was a huge eye-catcher when fourth to Jeroboam Machin in the Grade Two bumper at Leopardstown last month.

The five-year-old was on the heels of the leaders travelling strongly that day when getting knocked back to the rear after being hampered. He had no chance after that incident but picked up again, under tender handling, to make the frame.

I fancy he might well have won but for the interference he suffered and that’s not reflected by the betting. 

How To Bet £20 on Day Two of the Cheltenham Festival:  

£4 win treble on 

1.30 Cheltenham: Ballyburn (2/5)

2.10 Cheltenham: Fact To File (10/11)

3.30 Cheltenham: El Fabiolo (8/15)

2.50 Cheltenham: I Might £2 each-way at 12/1 with Sky Bet (eight places). Or take 16/1 if you are happy with six places.

4.10 Cheltenham: Delta Work £3 win at a general 11/4

4.50 Cheltenham: Path D’Oroux £2 win and £2 each-way at 11/1 with Unibet and William Hill (five places)

5.30 Cheltenham: The Yellow Clay £1.50 each-way at a general 10/1 (four places)

30p Win Super Yankee plus 20p acumulator - general odds in brackets

1.30 Cheltenham: Ballyburn (2/5)

2.10 Cheltenham: Fact To File (10/11)

3.30 Cheltenham: El Fabiolo (8/15)

4.10 Cheltenham: Delta Work (11/4)

4.50 Cheltenham: Path D’Oroux (10/1)

2.50 Cheltenham: I Might  (14/1)

5.30 Cheltenham: The Yellow Clay (10/1)

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